


It's What We Are

by summerbutterfly



Category: Free!
Genre: Family Fluff, Fluff, Friendship, Gen, Slice of Life, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-17
Updated: 2014-09-17
Packaged: 2018-02-17 19:05:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,692
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2320139
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/summerbutterfly/pseuds/summerbutterfly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He's Rin's friend, but he's also family:  a young Sousuke Yamazaki through the eyes of Gou.</p>
            </blockquote>





	It's What We Are

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Sousuke's birthday and kind of fluffy. Hastily beta'd so mistakes are mine.

Gou's first day of sixth grade is supposed to be the first time she walks to school alone. But it's not, because Sousuke Yamazaki is standing at her front door looking somewhere between embarrassed and determined as he fiddles with the collar of his middle school uniform.

"S...Sousuke-kun?" Gou stammers.

"Hey," Sousuke says. "You ready?"

Gou stares at him. "For...what?" 

"To go to school." Sousuke waves toward the road like it's the most obvious thing in the world. "You don't want to be late, do you?"

"Well, no. But I..."

"But nothing. Let's go."

He steps aside, allowing her to pass, and waves her mother, who has come to the kitchen window. And while Sousuke's pretty much family, it's still bizarre. She knows for a fact that her house is not on the way to Sano Middle from Sousuke's. Not to mention that, as a middle schooler, he really has no reason to want to have anything to do with an elementary school kid. 

And yet, here he is.

"So, um..." she begins.

"Yes," Sousukue says. He looks over. "He asked me to come, if that's what you're wondering."

"Oni-chan?"

"Mmm hmm." Sousuke slides his hands into his pockets. "He told me he needed me to look after you while he was gone. Keep you safe. So that's what I'm doing. I'm looking after you. Like I promised." 

"Oh." Gou is surprised, though maybe she shouldn't be. Her brother is like that-- always pushing his way into other people's lives. She knows it's because he cares too much, which can get annoying, but right now it feels kinda good. It's nice to know that Rin's thinking of her, even when he's thousands of miles away, chasing after a dream for the father she doesn't really remember. "So does this make you my other big brother then?"

She knows Sousuke well enough that she can tease him a little. Because if there's been one other constant in her life, it's been Sousuke. 

"I guess," Sousuke says. He sounds a little resigned, but there's something else there, too. Something affectionate. "I probably would have checked in on you regardless, but I can't go back on a promise. Not to one of my best friends." 

A small smile tweaks Gou's lips. Best friends is bit of an understatement for what her brother and Sousuke mean mean to each other, but it's a good a description as any for the moment.

"No, I guess you can't," she says.

They turn the corner out onto the main road. The sun slants out from behind a cloud, bathing the ocean in warm spring sunlight and Sousuke looks at it, eyes going distant. Gou feels it, too--an emptiness. A void that should have been filled with Rin's presence.

Gou's fist curls around the strap of her bag. "Thanks for coming to get me, Sousuke-kun. I appreciate you going so far out of your way." 

Sousuke looks at her and looks away. "It's no big deal," he says. "Like I said, I probably would have done it anyway."

*~*~*~*~*

The scenario repeats itself every morning for the duration of the spring term. Sometimes, they walk in silence, enjoying the feel of the fresh, ocean air. Sometimes they share stories about what's been going on, chatting nonstop. When summer comes, Sousuke starts to talk a lot about swimming, and Gou listens, proud of how hard he's working to become one of the best in his club. He tells her he plans on writing to Rin once he's got a few more trophies on his shelf and warning him to watch out-- because the next time they race, Sousuke's going to beat him. Gou has to laugh, imagining the determined look her brother always gets when confronted with a challenge. 

"Be careful, or he'll be flying back here before you know it," she says. "Just to prove you wrong!"

"I'd be disappointed if he didn't," Sousuke says, and matches her expression with a grin of his own. 

*~*~*~*~*

That grin is gone when school resumes after Obon. It is replaced by something stormy that makes Gou feel uneasy.

"Good morning, Sousuke-kun. How are you feeling?" 

"Fine."

Gou closes the front door. Sousuke watches her but says nothing, falling in step beside her with downcast eyes. 

It's not until they actually reach the door of Sano Elementary that Sousuke speaks again.

"Why him?" he asks.

"Huh?" 

"Why Nanase? Why is Rin so intent on racing him all the time? What's so great about that kid?"

There's a tinge of hurt in Sousuke's tone. 

Gou draws back a little, unsure of the best way to answer.

"I guess...because he's fast," she says slowly. "You know how Oni-chan is. He likes to push himself. He likes to go up against the best."

"The best, huh?" Sousuke's lips press into a thin line. "So Nanase is the best?"

"Well, no. I mean, maybe, but I don't really..."

"Never mind." Sousuke cuts her off before she can finish. "Go inside or you're gonna be late."

Sousuke turns and walks away. Gou stares after him as he heads back down the hill, broad shoulders hunched in irritation.

*~*~*~*~*

Gou finds out about Sousuke's race against Nanase her own. She doesn't mean to, but she overhears some boys talking about the Sano/Iwatobi match as she's getting off the train at the station near her grandmother's house. She doesn't recognize them, and she doesn't know how they know Sousuke, but they do. Polite digs against Sousuke's blunt and aggressive nature are made more than once.

Gou frowns.

She thinks about bringing it up the following morning, but decides against it.

"Do you have any plans for your birthday, Sousuke-kun?" she asks instead.

"Hm? No. I hadn't really thought about it yet. Why?"

"I was just wondering. In his last letter, Oni-chan mentioned that his school was off for a good part of September and I thought, if he came home, you guys could spend some time together."

Sousuke is quiet longer than he should have been.

"Maybe," he says at length. 

"He's supposed to call next weekend," Gou adds. "Do you want to come over so you can talk to him? It should be about lunch time, so you could eat with us, too."

"Would that be okay with your mom?"

"Of course, why wouldn't it be?"

"Well, I'm not _actually_ part of the family," Sousuke reminds her. "Even though you seem to think I am."

Gou lifts her chin. "Yes you are," she says. "Even if you don't think so."

"No, Gou, I'm really..."

"I will expect to see you next Saturday at noon," she says. "Don't be late."

She leaves Sousuke staring after her as she walks the rest of the way to school by herself.

*~*~*~*~*

Sousuke ends up going away the weekend of Rin's phone call. There's a private school in Tokyo that's interested in bringing him in on a full scholarship to swim for them, and they want to meet him. It's a really big deal and Gou couldn't be happier. 

"Sousuke-kun that's amazing!" She breaks all bounds of decorum, engulfing him in a very public hug. "Make sure you tell me how it goes, ok? Rin, too!"

Sousuke grunts with embarrassment, but doesn't push her away. "Yeah, yeah," he says. "And um...I'm sorry I won't be able to talk to Rin."

"It's okay. I'll give him the news. And he'll probably say something like 'he better work hard or I'll never forgive him!'"

"Yeah, he probably would say something like that." Sousuke's smile is fond. "Tell him I say the same, okay?"

"I will," Gou promises.

*~*~*~*~*

Sousuke winds up not coming back home until after the New Year holiday. The coaches are so impressed with him, they have him transfer mid term in order to get him training right away. When he does come back, he makes a point to come see Gou and her mom, and they have the lunch that had been put on hold by his initial scouting trip.

When they're done, they decide to make Rin a care package for his upcoming birthday. His letters have become less and less frequent, so they figure he's been busy training, and that any foods they send should be supportive of a champion swimmer's diet. Between the two of them they come up with a list. Nothing too sweet because Rin doesn't like sweets, but lots of high protein things, and Sousuke agrees to pick some stuff up from the health food store on his way home. 

They also decide to make a card because, as Sousuke says, "a store-bought card just doesn't seem right for a romantic swimming maniac." They collage the front with images and text from old swimming magazines, and put a bit picture of a gold medal right in the center. The write inspirational messages on the inside, Gou decorating hers with hearts and happy faces.

It's nearly dark, and there's a light dusting of snow on the sidewalk when Sousuke leaves to go home. Gou walks him to the end of the street. 

"Hey, Sousuke-kun?"

Sousuke looks over. 

"Will you visit again? The next time you're home?"

Sousuke smiles. "Sure. If you'll have me."

"Of course we'll have you! Especially me. I miss Oni-chan a lot, but...having you around around makes me miss him less."

Sousuke doesn't say anything, but turns suddenly, putting his back to her. Gou is alarmed, afraid she's said something wrong, but when he turns back, she realizes her words affected him more than either of them had anticipated. 

"Sousuke-kun?"

"I'm fine." Sousuke drags the back of his hand across his eyes. "I just have something in my eye. Don't you _dare_ tell Rin."

"I won't." 

Gou presses her mittened fingers together. She gives him a little bow, just to seal her promise and to her surprise, Sousuke bows back, clasping his hands to match hers. They stay like that for a moment, and then Sousuke straightens, ruffles her hair and moves on.

Gou watches him until he disappears. 

She goes back to the house, feeling warm and happy and grateful.


End file.
